Comments on: Faith Healers

By: Patrick Kirts

Patrick Kirts — Sun, 26 Jun 2005 15:29:57 +0000

I think the case may be that doctors, unlike scientists, are not forced in their training to push things to their logical conclusions. In medicine, there are many concerns to balance, including moral judgments, and given that most people in this country come from religious backgrounds, they may compartmentalize the facts and the judgment in different parts of their minds, and let the religion guide the moral dimension (not that I think this is a good idea). Doctors’ training doesn’t force them to go all the way to the bottom of things; that isn’t the game they’re playing, whereas in science that just is the game. Also, on the whole, doctors have different motivations, and science is often just a means to an end.

By: Uberkuh

Uberkuh — Sun, 26 Jun 2005 05:13:43 +0000

I know from first-hand experience that otherwise intelligent theists can compartmentalize irrational religious beliefs from logical, scientific observations, but I see this as a constant tug-of-war, especially, in my own family. I AM brings a very important question to light: Where reason and religion conflict, religion usually wins, so why gamble your life on a sure bet against it?

By: Delta

Delta — Sat, 25 Jun 2005 20:40:44 +0000

I think addict has a good point. In addition to wanting to help people, another reason that people become doctors is that they make lots of money. The doctor may tell you yes or no depending on what he thinks you want to hear in order to keep you as a patient.

It would also trouble me for a doctor to be strongly religious. I want my doctors to be firmly grounded in reality and need good evidence to believe something about my body. To be honest though, I think most doctors do use good critical thinking when diagnosing their patients. Like many religious people, they “compartmentalize” their brain and allow religion to flourish in its irrational splendor in only one part and do not let it interfere with their daily life. Still, I do agree that atheism signifies a person with a more rational outlook on life and probably higher intellect.

By: addict_no_more

addict_no_more — Sat, 25 Jun 2005 19:33:41 +0000

I think religion and medicine, like religion and politics do not mix. I don’t see how a doctor can have a strong religious faith and not have it interfere with his ability to be objective as a practicioner of medicine. There are too many conflicts and contradictions.

I suppose the degree to which it will impact a given doctor depends, in part, on what religion we’re talking about. Frankly, I’d have more trouble going to a doctor who was a Christian than pretty much any other religion - except for possibly Islam. Guess it’s a good thing my current doctors are all Jewish…

I Am, you have some big cajones. I don’t know if I could just walk into a doctor’s office and bluntly ask that question, and then walk out if they said yes. The other problem is, do you think that a doctor would lie - claim a belief in god, because most people asking would probably want one - and say they believed when they didn’t?

Just a thought…

By: C Ray 86

C Ray 86 — Sat, 25 Jun 2005 18:50:45 +0000

You make mention on to how religion will encourage people to help others, which could explain the larger percentages of believers when it comes to doctors.

How can you assume that because a doctor believes in a god, that that could negatively impact you as a patient. Is it not plausible enough to say it will help you as much as hurt you?

I understand the whole idea of letting religion interfear with a job or practice, and yes it bothers me too… but I can’t help but feel we’re cutting people short because I’m sure there are doctors who would use it to encourage themselves to help others even more, as oppose to just give up and let a person die because they wanted to get a Hail Mary in.